David Benavidez continues to dare to be great, and his list of target opponents proves it.

Benavidez has fast become a fan-favourite, aggressive in both his fighting style and matchmaking. The 29-year-old’s next bout is a perfect example – he moves up to cruiserweight in a bid to become a three-division world champion after just two fights at light-heavyweight.

At 200lbs, he will collide with Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, who boasts an impressive 48-1 record, as well as the unified WBA and WBO cruiserweight world titles. If successful, Benavidez seems set to move back down to light-heavyweight soon after.

That is because of a potential showdown with unified three-belt champion, Dmitry Bivol, who holds all of the required titles in order for WBC ruler, Benavidez, to claim the undisputed crown.

Additionally at 175lbs, Benavidez may finally a secure a clash with perennial rival, Canelo Alvarez, and wants a fan-friendly barnstormer with former undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev for good measure.

In an interview with ESPN KnockOut, the Mexican-American was quizzed on which of those three fights he deemed to be the toughest, but declared that he is capable of knocking out each of those men on the same night before saying at least one, Canelo, doesn’t want the challenge.

“I knock out all three on the same night … All of those fighters are tough. That is the highest level in the entire sport, but I believe 100% in what I can be.”

Canelo boasts one of the best chins in the business, while Bivol’s elite movement makes it hard for opponents to even test his. Though skillful in his own right, Beterbiev’s offence is often his defence, getting to opponents with fearsome power before they can reach him. If ‘El Monstro’ managed to deliver on the promise above, he would be in the argument for being the best active fighter in the world.

Benavidez – who has 25 knockouts from 31 wins, the most recent being a relentless battering of Anthony Yarde – first faces ‘Zurdo’ on Saturday May 2, at the T-Moblie Arena in Las Vegas. Another standout performance will see fans demand the big fights keep coming.

Scottie Scheffler finished just behind Rory McIlroy at the Masters this weekend, finishing just a stroke behind the back-to-back green jacket winner.

Scheffler took issue with the conditions at Augusta National Golf Course and expressed as much after wrapping up the fourth round of the tournament on Sunday evening, telling reporters he wasn’t “in charge of the course setup.”

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Scottie Scheffler walks to the green on the 18th hole during the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on April 11, 2026. (David J. Phillip/AP)

“I would’ve liked it to have been a little bit more equal in terms of the firmness on Thursday and Friday. I was a bit surprised at how soft things were on Friday afternoon, especially as it got late in the day. But the weather also changes, like it was a bit windy on Thursday,” he said, via Golf.com.

“So who knows, it’s just that’s part of the game. We play an outdoor sport, and you don’t know how conditions are gonna change — especially course conditions. Overall, like I said, just Friday for me, going out early, not being able to shoot an under-par round, that definitely hurt my chances. I think I started the weekend maybe 12 back, so to get within one was a pretty good run.”

Scheffler said his second round “probably hurt” his chances of winning the tournament the most. He shot a 74 that day with four bogeys before storming back into contention.

Scottie Scheffler finishes his final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2026. (David J. Phillip/AP)

TRUMP CONGRATULATES RORY MCILROY ON BACK-TO-BACK MASTERS WINS: ‘BECOMING MORE AND MORE A LEGEND’

“We went out on Thursday, Thursday afternoon were some of the most challenging conditions we had all week,” he said. “I didn’t see many birdies out there Thursday afternoon, so going out on Friday, whatever they did to the greens to soften them up, they did some stuff, and I just wasn’t able to take advantage of that going on early on Friday.

“And then you saw the barrage of birdies that Rory made and Cam Young and a bunch of guys made on Friday late in the day, and I think I finished maybe two over par on Friday. So that day probably hurt the most in terms of my chances to win.”

Scheffler made 12 birdies and two eagles in the tournament. But he also settled for five bogeys over the four rounds.

Scottie Scheffler watches a shot during the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2026. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

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He was 11-under par for the tournament.

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April has rarely been a quiet month for Formula One (F1). This year, it has been forced into one. The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix amid the ongoing war in West Asia has reduced the calendar to 22 races and, more unusually, created a five-week gap before the season resumes in Miami on May 1.

For a sport that rarely pauses, the break has shifted attention away from immediate results and towards the early shape of the season, and what those first few races are beginning to indicate rather than simply produce.

At the centre of that shift is Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

 
Antonelli’s early races have not been built on dominance across every phase of the weekend. If anything, they have exposed a split profile. Over a stint, his pace has remained controlled, with minimal correction, stable tyre usage and an ability to hold the racing line rather than fluctuate within it. It is the kind of repeatability that usually arrives with experience, but here appears pre-conditioned.

The opening phase of races, however, tells a different story. Revised power unit behaviour has made starts less predictable. Without the MGU-H, which earlier helped smooth power delivery, and with greater reliance on hybrid systems, getting off the line is now less controlled, making traction trickier and early position changes more common. Across the opening rounds, Ferrari-powered cars have collectively gained positions on the opening lap, while Mercedes-powered entries have struggled to consistently hold ground, underlining how sensitive the start phase has become under the new configuration. Antonelli has mirrored that trend, frequently losing positions in the run to the first corner even when starting from the front.

The contrast is instructive. Modern F1 is increasingly operating across two distinct phases. The start has become compressed and high-variance, shaped by reaction time, clutch performance and energy deployment within a few seconds. The race that follows rewards something else: control, tyre management and the ability to operate within narrowing margins over a sustained run. Increasingly, it is the latter that determines outcomes.

Antonelli already appears more fluent in that second phase.

That alignment is not incidental. Antonelli’s progression has been tightly managed within Mercedes’ development system, combining early identification with accelerated movement through the junior ladder, including a direct step into Formula 2, the category directly below F1. More significantly, it has been supported by extensive simulator work and private testing in older F1 machinery. The programme has included substantial mileage in previous-generation cars across multiple circuits, effectively replicating race conditions away from competitive weekends.

By the time Antonelli reached the grid, much of what once defined a rookie adjustment period had already been internalised. The result is a driver who does not appear to be learning the category in real time, even if certain phases, most visibly the start, remain in development.

That profile begins to align closely with how recent championships have been constructed. Drivers such as Max Verstappen have built success on sustained race pace and error minimisation rather than isolated bursts of speed, a model that increasingly defines the modern title fight.

Antonelli’s early performances sit within that framework. His gains have not depended on overextension, and his losses have tended to stabilise rather than compound. That balance, control over volatility rather than its absence, is already visible and increasingly valuable in a field where margins are narrowing.

The gap in April has allowed that pattern to come into clearer focus. It does not resolve into a conclusion. It does, however, suggest something more immediate. Antonelli’s rise is not only a function of speed or circumstance. It reflects a point of alignment between how drivers are now prepared and what Formula One is beginning to demand of them.

In a season still taking shape, that alignment may prove as significant as any early result.

The Minnesota Vikings employ a speedy cornerback named Isaiah Rodgers, and he used to work with a guy who’s now on the trade block: Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II. Rodgers wasn’t shy this week about recruiting Moore II on social media to join the Vikings.

Minnesota still needs cornerback help, and Moore checks the experience box fast.

Moore II won’t be too difficult to get, and if Minnesota is in the mood, he could serve as CB depth in 2026.

Moore Might Make Sense as a Short-Term Secondary Fix

Get to know Moore II, who now lives in the trade rumor mill.

Colts to Trade Moore II

Moore II’s days in Indianapolis are numbered, and with the draft just 10 days away, he’ll be shipped elsewhere before too long.

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote Friday, “Kenny Moore’s nine-year career in Indianapolis appears to be at an end. The Colts and Moore mutually agreed to seek a trade, ESPN reported Friday. Turning 31 in August, Moore has long been an underrated slot defender able to stick with shifty receivers, jump short routes and stick his nose in against the run.”

“He’s coming off a down season, in which he missed three games due to injury. There were also scheme-fit concerns in Lou Anarumo’s system. The Colts have spent the offseason looking to get younger on defense, which aligns with the decision to seek a trade for Moore. 2025 third-round pick Justin Walley, who missed his rookie campaign due to a training camp ACL tear, would be first in line to replace Moore’s nickel reps.”

Nine years was quite the run with Moore II in Indianapolis. For context, he was a rookie the same year as former Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (2017).

The Rodgers Recruitment

Rodgers turned pro in 2020 as a 6th-Round selection by the Colts. He stayed in Indianapolis for three seasons before a gambling suspension rattled his career. He later landed with the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Vikings.

But Rodgers crossed paths with Moore II for three seasons, between 2020 and 2022, and the two are evidently pals.

Rodgers rolled around this recruiting pitch on Instagram:

The Vikings signed James Pierre from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, and for now, he’s on deck to hold the CB3 job. But if Minnesota prefers more CB depth than previous years, a trade for Moorre II cannot be ruled out, especially with Rodgers pounding the table for him.

Moore II’s Production

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Moore is a career-long starter and earned a Pro Bowl appearance in 2021. Here’s his passer rating allowed resume:

2018: 80.0
2019: 76.8
2020: 97.2
2021: 86.9
2022: 117.7
2023: 96.6
2024: 83.6
2025: 87.8

And his Pro Football Focus report card:

2017: 65.9
2018: 68.7
2019: 75.5
2020: 73.8
2021: 66.6
2022: 55.7
2023: 76.8
2024: 70.1
2025: 66.7

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Think of it this way: had the Vikings not signed Pierre in March, a Moore II trade would feel perfect right now.

Horeshoe Heroes‘ Lee Vowell on a Moore II trade: “Moore’s cap hit next season is $13,110,000, per Over the Cap, and trading him would save the team $7,060,000. That doesn’t mean Ballard has a plan for what to do with the savings. The Colts have cash to spend as the Jones and Pierce deals have a lower cap hit in year one. With the newly created cap, Ballard has done very little.”

“Kenny Moore has remained among the better nickelbacks in the NFL. He could be upgraded, maybe, but the team has no obvious replacements of his quality. Moore being available in a trade makes two players the Indianapolis Colts are open to shopping.”

The Colts and Vikings actually have a lot of defensive back overlap: Rodgers plays for the Vikings, while Camryn Bynum and Mekhi Blackmon are on Indianapolis’s roster.

Vowell added, “Quarterback Anthony Richardson is the other, but has had no takers yet. As for what the Colts can get for Moore? Likely, not a lot. He is now 32 years old and is restricted to a position. Should the team get a fifth-round pick for him, that might be a massive win.”

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The Trade Price

Moore II will turn 31 in August, and his production last year showed dependability and a decent overall baseline. He’s not a hot commodity anymore; nobody is sprinting to the phone to acquire a 31-year-old cornerback, especially when a general manager can sign free agents like Trevon Diggs and L’Jarius Sneed without the hassle of donating a draft pick to Indianapolis.

Still, after the draft, a team will realize it didn’t quite get what it wanted at cornerback, and a 6th-Round pick can probably get the Moore II trade over the finish line.

Otherwise, Moore II will be a free agent in 2027. He can finish his career with a team of his choosing.

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Praful Hinge caused mayhem in the Rajasthan Royals batting lineup on Monday. Playing his first IPL match, the Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer picked up the wickets of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on the second ball, Dhruv Jurel on the third ball, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius on the final ball of the first over. Hinge could hardly have imagined a better debut in the IPL. With SRH’s bowling in the doldrums, the side drafted in the youngster, and he repaid the faith in emphatic fashion. Hinge was not done after his first over outburst. In his second over, Hinge took the wicket of RR captain Riyan Parag too. So far. Hinge has played 10 first-class matches (27 wickets), six List A games (five wickets).      

“Praful Hinge is a young right-arm seamer from Vidarbha who has steadily built his reputation in red-ball cricket. In just 10 first-class matches, the 24-year-old has claimed 27 wickets at an average of 26.7, highlighting his ability as a workhorse. His exposure to T20 cricket has been limited so far, but he made a tidy impression in his only appearance. Opening the bowling alongside Umesh Yadav, Hinge returned figures of 1 for 23 in four overs against Andhra,” according to iplt20.com.

“Sunrisers Hyderabad brought him in for INR 30 lakh ahead of IPL 2026, adding him as a backup pace option,” it added. 

Earlier, in the match, skipper Ishan Kishan blazed away to a scintillating 44-ball 91 before a late charge by Nitish Reddy and Salil Arora lifted Sunrisers Hyderabad to 216 for six against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League match here on Monday.

SRH skipper Kishan looked in sublime touch during his stay in the middle, hitting eight fours and six sixes while sharing 88 runs with Heinrich Klaasen (40 off 26 balls).

Towards the end, Reddy smashed a 13-ball 28 and Salil Arora remained not out on 24 off 13 balls to prop up SRH.

At the start of SRH innings, Abhishek Sharma looked to go for a big shot on the first ball and danced down the wicket, only to manage a slice off a Jofra Archer (2/37 in 4 overs) delivery for Ravi Bishnoi to complete a neat catch in the deep.

Kishan flicked Archer over short fine leg for a four and then deposited one into the stands over deep mid wicket for a six.

In the next over, Kishan cleared third man for a maximum against Nandre Burger. He then whacked Sandeep Sharma over his head for a big six and followed that up with a four off Tushar Deshpande through the midwicket region.

Even as Kishan found the boundaries with ease, Travis Head was struggling to get going and his stay came to an end when RR skipper Riyan Parag had him caught in the deep by Donovan Ferreira for a rusty 18-ball 18. It was a bold move by Parag to bring himself in right after the powerplay, and it paid dividends.

Unperturbed by Head’s dismissal, Kishan went about his task with absolute clarity and reached his 50 in 30 balls, with a huge six over deep midwicket off leg-spinner Bishnoi.

Thanks to the flurry of boundaries by Kishan, SRH’s 100 was up in 10.3 overs with Deshpande leaking 21 runs in that over.

Klaasen lofted Bishnoi over long-on for a six, following it up with a four off Archer.

Kishan then collected three successive boundaries off Archer to move to 91, even as the lights went off briefly inside the stadium.

Going for one too many, Kishan miscued an attempted pull and Sandeep held on to the ball off his own bowling despite a collision with wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter Abhishek Sharma made an unwanted record, overtaking Rohit Sharma for the most ducks by an Indian batter in a calendar year, when he registered his seventh duck of 2026 during the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Abhishek’s hot-and-cold run in IPL 2026 and T20Is this year continued with a golden duck against RR.

The explosive batter attempted to go big on a short ball from Jofra Archer but was caught by Ravi Bishnoi. This marked his seventh duck in 18 innings this year.

He surpassed Rohit Sharma’s record of six ducks in 32 innings in 2018, as well as Sanju Samson’s six ducks in 32 innings in 2024.

In five innings in the ongoing IPL, Abhishek has scored 129 runs at an average of 25.80 and a strike rate of 215.80, including one half-century. His best score is 74.

Prior to this, he endured a poor debut at the T20 World Cup. The world’s No. 1 batter was unable to live up to sky-high expectations after a stellar run in 2025, scoring just 141 runs in eight innings at an average of 17.62 and a strike rate of 158.42, with two fifties – including one in the final against New Zealand in a winning effort.

In 18 T20Is this year, Abhishek has scored 452 runs in 18 innings at an average of 26.58 and a strike rate of 203.60, with five half-centuries and seven ducks. His highest score is 84.

Coming to the match, RR won the toss and elected to bat first.

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Canelo Alvarez has been named as the top dog at super-middleweight, but has been told he must face the next generation of contenders in order to retain his status.

The 35-year-old reigned supreme at 168lbs for the best part of four years, before losing his undisputed crown to Terence Crawford in September 2025.

It was a legacy-defining performance that saw ‘Bud’ move up two weight classes and claim all four major belts, before ultimately hanging up his gloves.

But with Crawford now removed from the equation, many would regard Canelo as the division’s number one fighter, even though the Mexican is yet to reclaim any of his world titles.

That much could change this September, when he is set to headline in Saudi Arabia, while the current world super-middleweight champions include Christian Mbilli, Osleys Iglesias and Jose Armando Resendiz.

Hamzah Sheeraz, meanwhile, is scheduled to face Alem Begic for the vacant WBO world title on May 23, featuring on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven.

Sheeraz has not fought since last July, when he secured a fifth-round finish over Edgar Berlanga, but the 26-year-old is now on the cusp of becoming a world champion in only his second outing at super-middleweight.

Acknowledging Canelo’s achievements, Sheeraz, who has yet to taste defeat and has 18 knockouts from his 22 victories, hopes to eventually prove himself against the four-division world champion, telling Inside the Ring that he is “gunning” for the opportunity.

“You could say he is [still No.1 at 168lbs], because of what he’s done.

“But, at the same time, you’ve got these young guns coming through, like myself, and I think it’s time for him to give us the opportunity against him to prove ourselves, and take over that No.1 spot.

“We’re all gunning for it, and hopefully I do get that opportunity one day.”

While Sheeraz represents a potential option, many believe that Canelo is more likely to face Mbilli, the WBC world champion, in his first fight since losing to Crawford.

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru allrounder Tim David has been fined for “disobeying” an umpire’s instruction during his team’s IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the 18th over of RCB’s innings when David launched Hardik Pandya for a towering six over deep mid-wicket. The sheer force of the hit altered the shape of the ball, prompting the umpire to call for a replacement.

When a box of used balls was brought out, David picked one up and began toying with it. Despite repeated requests from the umpire to return the ball, he continued handling it for a brief period, clearly frustrating the official. The umpire was seen asking for the ball multiple times and appeared visibly irritated.

After a short delay, David eventually handed the ball back.

“Tim David, Batter, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has been fined 25% of his match fee and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials during Match No. 20 against Mumbai Indians (MI),” the IPL said in a statement.

“He wanted to have a look at the ball and did not hand it over despite being repeatedly asked to do so. The second incident occurred during the 20th over (19.2), when he again did not hand over the ball to the umpires, amounting to repeated failure to comply with the instructions or directives of the umpires,” it added.

Rory McIlroy showed his class once again as he held off the world’s best players to win back-to-back Masters titles, becoming only the fourth man to achieve the feat.

The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland continued his fine form at Augusta National Golf Club, finishing on 12 under par after a final round of 71. He ended one shot ahead of world number one Scottie Scheffler in another thrilling Sunday at The Masters Tournament.

McIlroy had ended an 11-year wait for a major at Augusta last year to complete his career Grand Slam, and he said that victory gave him the belief to achieve even more.

“I can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket and now I get two in a row,” McIlroy said.

“All my perseverance at this golf course over the years has started to pay off.”

The win is his sixth major title, drawing him level with Nick Faldo.

McIlroy also had to hold off a strong challenge from Justin Rose, who was hoping to become the oldest first-time Masters champion. Rose briefly took the lead during the final round but could not maintain his advantage under pressure.

There was plenty of drama in the final round. McIlroy fell behind after a double bogey on the fourth hole and another dropped shot on the sixth. However, he responded well with birdies on the seventh and eighth holes, and again on the 12th and 13th to regain control.

Rose, on the other hand, struggled at key moments, dropping shots at the famous Amen Corner, which allowed McIlroy to move ahead.

The victory places McIlroy alongside legends such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as one of the few players to win consecutive Masters titles.

Reflecting on his performance, McIlroy admitted it was not easy but was pleased with his determination.

“It was a tough weekend but I’m so happy to hang in there and get the job done,” he said.

“I wanted to come back and prove last year wasn’t a fluke.”

His latest triumph confirms his place among golf’s greats and shows that his breakthrough victory last year has truly changed his career.

Cartwright led the Black and Whites to a seventh-placed finish, three points off a play-off place, last season.

He said that they had cancelled last Tuesday’s training session after he told the team about his exit.

“There was a pretty emotional meeting when I addressed the players,” he said.

“The coaches left the room and the players decided to stay. In all honesty it wasn’t the type of atmosphere where a training session would have been of any value so I decided to call the day off.

“They needed to go and chat amongst themselves. I haven’t asked what was said, it’s not my business. I think they had some grievances that they wanted to talk about and I don’t know if they have been addressed either.”

The former Gold Coast Titans head coach said that despite his own situation he would not allow the season to be “wasted”.

“We’ve got to make sure we win as many games as we can,” he said.

“It’s ridiculous to waste a season. We’re sitting two points out of the top six.”

Ninth-placed Hull FC next welcome Challenge Cup semi-finalists St Helens on Thursday.